Turkey reported 1,649 new COVID-19 patients and 56 deaths in the past 24 hours.
According to daily data released by the ministry, the new infections were identified in more than 113,102 COVID-19 tests, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 334,031.
The death toll from coronavirus increased to 8,778 with 56 new fatalities. Meanwhile, the total recoveries from COVID-19 increased to 293,145, with 1,391 patients declared free of the coronavirus in the past day.
Turkey has been seeing a resurgence in coronavirus infections for the past few weeks, with daily infection rates climbing slowly but steadily.
In an effort to prevent a further increase in infection rates, the Interior Ministry made wearing masks outside mandatory across all provinces. The order previously applied to only the worst-hit cities, with many provinces only requiring mask use in often-crowded streets.
The government also reintroduced a previously removed capacity cap for mass transit vehicles, banning all standing passengers on buses and significantly reducing capacities for subways and Istanbul’s metrobuses.
“The decrease in the number of patients in critical condition is stagnating. We have to keep the number under control,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a tweet.
Across the world, COVID-19 has claimed more than 1.06 million lives in 188 countries and regions since last December.
The U.S., India, and Brazil are currently the worst-hit countries.
Nearly 37 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries now over 25.7 million, according to figures compiled by the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University.
